Middle English Dictionary Entry
gilt n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | gilt n.(1) Also gilth, ȝilt & gult, guilt, guld & gelt, gelth. Pl. giltes, etc. & (early) gulten. |
| Etymology | OE gylt. Forms in ȝ-are probably due to confusion with yẹ̄ld payment. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A sin, transgression, offense, misdeed, crime; maken ~, ?to commit an offense against (sb.), offend, harm; (b) wicked conduct, sinful behavior, sins; (c) a debt (cp. Mat.18.23-35).
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)34/6 : Þæt God us forȝife ure gyltæs wið him.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)54/9 : We ȝyltæs wurcæð dæȝhwamlice.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)62/34 : Al moncynn..wearð earmlice ablend for Adames ȝylte.
- c1175(?OE) HRood (Bod 343)12/7 : Þurh mine gylt, ðu þolast þinræ handa.
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)9/11 : Mid gultes feole Oþre birefedest rihtes istreones.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6022 : He..beteþþ sone anan þatt gillt Þatt he wass fallenn inne.
- a1200(?OE) Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)205 : His holi lichame [was]..for ure gulten reuliche atoȝen.
- a1225(?c1175) PMor.(Lamb 487)164 : Gif him her ofþincþ his gult [Dgb: gelt] & bet his misdede.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)4272 : Þus ælkene forme gult þe king suf hine for-ȝef.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)115/11 : Alle þolieð pine for Adames gelte.
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)93b : Lihte gultes beteð þus.
- a1275 Þene latemeste dai (Trin-C B.14.39)64 : Ac ig sal þine gultis abugen ful ille.
- ?a1325 PNoster (Cai 52/29)282 : Forgif us oure gultes, also we forgifet oure gultare.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)6264 : Ichim suwed..& smot him so þou miȝt se; þe gilt, sir, for-ȝiue þou me.
- c1330(?c1300) Spec.Guy (Auch)231 : Vnboxomnesse was his gilt.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1999 : Wiþ me sche is wroþ..for litel gilt.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Cor.5.19 : God was in Crist..not rettinge to hem her giltis.
- (c1390) Chart.Abbey HG (LdMisc 210)356 : Þe most gylt scho hadde don was aȝenus hym.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.3015 : Youre liberal grace and mercy strecchen ferther in to goodnesse than doon oure outrageouse giltes and trespas in to wikkednesse.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)11.55 : Raþer haue we no reste til we restitue Our lyf to oure lord god for oure lykames gultes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3245 : O Troye..what is þi gilt? allas! What hastow don?
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)1.pr.4.153 : Axestow..of what gylt I am accused? Men seyn that I wolde saven the companye of the senatours.
- c1450(?1429) Lydg.Prayer KQP (Frf 16)24 : Lord, vpon ther giltes [Hrl 7578: gelthes] rewe.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.62 : Thei arette it Fortunys variaunce, Touchyng the giltes that thei deden vse, Ther demerites ful falsli to excuse.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1159 : To forȝyue hem þe gult þat þey to god wroȝt.
- a1500(a1450) St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)456 : Roberd, forgyff me all My greuouse gyltes.
- a1500 Wars Alex.(Dub 213)3213 : Þees warryd wightez..Sloghen so þair souerent þat neuer þaim gilt made.
b
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)65 : Þat ech lime synderlepes turne to gode and bete his gilt.
- ?c1250 Ar ne kuthe (Gldh)24 : Foryhef hem, the wykke men..for wos gelt we bed ipelt in thos prisun hille.
- a1300 Qvanne I zenke onne (Ashm 360)9 : Hu þi rige was I-squngen..for þe gilte of man.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)104/16 : He is..wiþ-oute enye chonge..uor þer is no gelt [F trespassement].
- 1372 A sory beuerech (Adv 18.7.21)5 : For alle mannis gilth..þat my blod be spilth.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.808 : Iesu Crist that yaf hym self for oure gilt.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)105a/a : Þe world is place of trespas & of gilt.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)690 : Þe gult of Gomorre garez me to wrath.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)942 : Þere þe olde gulte watz don to slake.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)2491 : More for my fader gulte..þen for ony thynge þat y dud my-self amys.
c
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)36/22 : Nu forȝeaf þe kyng..alne þone mycele ȝylt mildelice þam þeȝene.
2.
(a) The state or fact of being guilty, culpability; ~ of, guilt of (a sin or crime); ~ of deth, guilt punishable by death; haven ~, ben in the ~, to be guilty; (b) withouten ~, bouten ~, without guilt, innocent; undeservedly, unjustly; (c) responsibility for a misdeed or an untoward event, fault, reproach, blame; ascriven to (unto) mi ~, blame (me) for (sth.); nimen (taken) ~, take the blame; (d) accusation, charge.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)15824,15828 : Ȝiff þær wass swa mikell gillt To biggenn & to sellenn Þa þingess..þær wære mare gillt To follȝhenn gluterrnesse.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1427 : Heo mai hire guld atwende A rihte weie þurþ chirche bende.
- a1300 I-hereþ nv one (Jes-O 29)342 : Nenne gult of deþe ich on hym iseo.
- c1300 SLeg.Kath.(LdMisc 108)210 : Lat heom quite gon..gult heo ne habbez non.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1110 : For to þolye so strong deþ, lutel gult haddestou.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5528 : Þis luþer men..slowe bissop & al is men þat gult nadde non.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)30/27 : Huanne þer is werre betuene tuaye men..þer byeþ moche uolke dyade þet ne habbeþ nenne gelt.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Deut.21.8 : Þe gult of þe blood shal be take awey from hem.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.1223 : Tell therfore, Of Ydelnesse if I have gilt.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.387 : I koude pleyne and I was in the gilt.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1612 : God woot I haue no gilt.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)5.247 : He..knowelechide his gilt [vrr. gult, coupe, coulpe] to crist.
- a1425(a1400) Titus & V.(Pep 2014)294/598 : I [Pilate] fonde no gylte in his dede.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)1844 : For hir gylt ne for hir blame, Hir husbonde shulde nat have the foule name.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)987 : Hast thow forsake þyn owne gult, And on a-noþer þe blame I-pult?
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)19644 : Shunenn þa þatt wilenn þe Wiþþutenn gillte cwellenn.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)8773 : Ȝiff æuere æi god cniht wule his godliche cun bute [Otho: wiþ houte] gulte aquellen.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Num.35.27 : Wiþ oute gylt shal he be þat slow hym.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)3.161 : Noþer man ne womman schulde be punsched wiþ oute gilt [L innocens] noþer wiþ gilt [L nocens] wiþoute iuge.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.WB.(Manly-Rickert)D.244 : If I haue a gossib or a freend With outen gilt, ye chiden as a feend.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)1295 : Ho-so curseþ withoutyn gylt, Hyt shal on hys hede be pylt.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)1072 : A-gayne abel he raysed strife, wiþ-outen gylt raft him his life.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)4.65 : Wiþoute gilt..gat I þis skaþe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.6759 : I deye shal a mayde..of synne al Innocent, Þouȝ I be now dempte by Iugement For to be ded, wiþ-oute gilt at al.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)86/29 : Þei seyn..þat god had don aȝen his rightwisness for to suffre Ihesu Crist þat was Innocent to ben put vpon the cross withouten gylt.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)51 : Þe holy mayden..seynge þat þe kepers scholde haue be turmented wyth oute gylte was compelled to say þat sche wolde haue kept pryuye.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)35/30 : Herode..made to sle hom wythout gult.
c
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)18575 : Ȝif he nalde aȝein cumen & his gult beon icnawen, þe king him wolde after.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)105 : Þanne he haueð sineged..[he] Werpeð þat gilt uppen ure drihten and seiþ, 'gif god hit ne wolde, swo hit ne were.'
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)70a : Þeo þe..nimeð [Tit: takes] þe gult toward hire, þah þe oþer hit habbe mare, ha schal beo mi..deore dohter.
- c1300(c1250) Floris (Cmb Gg.4.27)105/675 : Min is þe guld..Þat þu for me schalt þolie deþ.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)606 : Þou miȝt ȝwite me ȝwat þou wolt ak i-ne habbe gult non more.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)317 : & if þe sarsyn ouercompþ him þare, certis ȝe bereþ þe gilt.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3610 : For sche was cause..Why that this kinges Sone is spilt, Sche takth upon hirself the gilt.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)884 : Scho au to bere þe gilt [Vsp: wite] away.
- a1400 Floris (Eg 2862)965 : Þe gylt is myn, of oure woo.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.196 : No man iustly..Vn-to my gilt dewly may ascrive Any falsehed, engyn, or trecherie.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.206 : Thelamoun..vn-to my gilt ascriveþ Hooly þis þing.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)57/32 : I requere yow of riȝt þat ȝe noþynge arrette nor ascrive to my gilte that I come with stronge and myȝti honde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2384 : It was þe gilt all of þe gome & noȝt of þe gud lord.
d
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)6886 : And heo of scapie harmles þe gultes echon, Icholle nime vor me & vor þe king þat gult naþ þer of non.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)4621 : Furste wol I make me quyt Of gulte [Frf: chalaunge] of putifares wif.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.129 : If a clerke men founde in his lond þat reft..Men suld schewe his guilte in þe courte of lay & þer be saued or splite.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)2951 : A man..When he es acouped of felony Byfor kynges iustice..wate noght whether he sal be spilt, Or be delyvered of þat gilt.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)11b/a : Calumpnia: fals gulte or chalang.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)10172 : Þeȝȝ haffdenn wikenn off þe king To sammnenn hise ȝeldess Þurrh whamm þeȝȝ durrstenn beȝȝtenn menn Forr æþelike gillte To winnenn ahhte to þe king.
Note: Additional quote(s)